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| | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== | | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== |
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| − | The Democrats officially won back the presidency with James Polk, who was supported by the still-popular Jackson. Polk was the hardest-working president ever, and even died from exhaustion soon after leaving office after serving only one term. He was also the first "dark horse" candidate, which means that no one expected him even to win the nomination of his Democratic Party. He was nominated to run for president only after the leading contenders were all rejected by the delegates to the Democratic National Convention. In fact, Polk had gone to the convention hoping at most to be the vice presidential candidate for Martin Van Buren, but former President Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party favored Polk instead of renominating Van Buren. | + | The Democrats officially won back the presidency with James Polk, who was supported by the still-popular Jackson. Polk was the hardest-working president ever, and even died from exhaustion soon after leaving office after serving only one term. He was also the first "dark horse" candidate, which means that no one expected to win even the nomination of his Democratic Party. He was nominated to run for president only after the leading contenders were all rejected by the delegates to the Democratic National Convention. In fact, Polk had gone to the convention hoping at most to be the vice presidential candidate for Martin Van Buren, but former President Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party favored Polk instead of renominating Van Buren. |
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| | Polk's opponent in the presidential race was the Whig Party leader Henry Clay, who scoffed at how little-known Polk was. Clay and his supporters began to ask rhetorically, "Who is Polk?"<ref>http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/presidents/polk/horse_1</ref> Polk responded to the criticism by championing Manifest Destiny (and expansion of the nation's territory). He supported annexing Texas (which would be a slave state) to acquire southern support and supporting adding Oregon as a free state to gain northern votes. The issue of Texas had become so important to Americans that Polk won on a platform of annexing Texas to the United States, and more generally on his pro-expansion position. | | Polk's opponent in the presidential race was the Whig Party leader Henry Clay, who scoffed at how little-known Polk was. Clay and his supporters began to ask rhetorically, "Who is Polk?"<ref>http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/presidents/polk/horse_1</ref> Polk responded to the criticism by championing Manifest Destiny (and expansion of the nation's territory). He supported annexing Texas (which would be a slave state) to acquire southern support and supporting adding Oregon as a free state to gain northern votes. The issue of Texas had become so important to Americans that Polk won on a platform of annexing Texas to the United States, and more generally on his pro-expansion position. |
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| | *instigated, fought and won the Mexican War (also called the Mexican-American War) (ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo) | | *instigated, fought and won the Mexican War (also called the Mexican-American War) (ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo) |
| | *annexed Texas (1845) | | *annexed Texas (1845) |
| − | *settled dispute with British (Canada) by establishing the northwest boundary in Oregon Treaty (1846) | + | *settled a dispute with British (Canada) by establishing the northwest boundary in Oregon Treaty (1846) |
| | *reduced tariffs | | *reduced tariffs |
| | *reestablished an independent treasury (bank) | | *reestablished an independent treasury (bank) |
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| | To Polk's credit, he really did what he said he would, unlike most politicians. He achieved the greatest territorial expansion of the United States (excluding the later acquisition of Alaska). Polk acquired the territory covered by the future states of Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and Oregon, and portions of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana. | | To Polk's credit, he really did what he said he would, unlike most politicians. He achieved the greatest territorial expansion of the United States (excluding the later acquisition of Alaska). Polk acquired the territory covered by the future states of Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and Oregon, and portions of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana. |
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| − | Even though Texas won its own independence from Mexico in 1836, President Martin van Buren did not annex Texas to the United States because Mexico had threatened war should annexation happen. President John Tyler negotiated a Treaty of Annexation, but that caused Mexico to cut off diplomatic relations. The Senate refused to ratify this Treaty. Only after Polk won the presidential election of 1844 by promising to annex Texas was the Senate willing to ratify the Treaty, which the Senate did just prior to Polk's inauguration. Texas then joined the United States on December 29, 1845. | + | Even though Texas won its own independence from Mexico in 1836, President Martin Van Buren did not annex Texas to the United States because Mexico had threatened war should annexation happen. President John Tyler negotiated a Treaty of Annexation, but that caused Mexico to cut off diplomatic relations. The Senate refused to ratify this Treaty. Only after Polk won the presidential election of 1844 by promising to annex Texas was the Senate willing to ratify the Treaty, which the Senate did just prior to Polk's inauguration. Texas then joined the United States on December 29, 1845. |
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| | Mexico did not declare war as it threatened, but the relationship remained very tense and the border between Texas and Mexico was hotly disputed. Texas claimed that its state included much of (what is today) New Mexico and Colorado, and the western and southern portions of (what is today) Texas itself. Mexico claimed that Texas was much smaller, with its border on the Nueces River slightly north of the Rio Grande. | | Mexico did not declare war as it threatened, but the relationship remained very tense and the border between Texas and Mexico was hotly disputed. Texas claimed that its state included much of (what is today) New Mexico and Colorado, and the western and southern portions of (what is today) Texas itself. Mexico claimed that Texas was much smaller, with its border on the Nueces River slightly north of the Rio Grande. |
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| | President Polk wanted all the land for the United States. In July 1845, he sent the commander of the U.S. Army in Texas, Zachary Taylor, to take his troops into the disputed land between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers. In November, Polk sent Congressman John Slidell to Mexico in order to purchase the disputed area, and acquire (what is now) New Mexico and California. This effort, known as the Slidell mission, had failed by May 1846. | | President Polk wanted all the land for the United States. In July 1845, he sent the commander of the U.S. Army in Texas, Zachary Taylor, to take his troops into the disputed land between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers. In November, Polk sent Congressman John Slidell to Mexico in order to purchase the disputed area, and acquire (what is now) New Mexico and California. This effort, known as the Slidell mission, had failed by May 1846. |
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| − | Following the failure of Slidell's mission in May 1846, Polk tried a different approach: find a reason to declare a war. Polk told Congress that Mexico had attacked Taylor's army on American (Texas) soil, shedding American blood there. Congress reacted by giving Polk the declaration of war Polk sought, on May 13, 1846. Even since it has been disputed where the American blood was actually shed. Was it on undisputed American soil, meaning that Mexico was wrong, or on Mexican soil, meaning that Americans were the aggressor? The official account of the United States Department of State blames ... the United States:<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/dwe/16336.htm</ref> | + | Following the failure of Slidell's mission in May 1846, Polk tried a different approach: find a reason to declare a war. Polk told Congress that Mexico had attacked Taylor's army on American (Texas) soil, shedding American blood there. Congress reacted by giving Polk the declaration of war Polk sought, on May 13, 1846. Ever since it has been disputed where the American blood was actually shed. Was it on undisputed American soil, meaning that Mexico was wrong, or on Mexican soil, meaning that Americans were the aggressor? The official account of the United States Department of State blames ... the United States:<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/dwe/16336.htm</ref> |
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| | :The President neglected to inform Congress, however, that the Mexicans had used force only after Taylor's troops had positioned themselves on the banks of the Rio Grande River, which was effectively Mexican territory. | | :The President neglected to inform Congress, however, that the Mexicans had used force only after Taylor's troops had positioned themselves on the banks of the Rio Grande River, which was effectively Mexican territory. |
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| | Polk essentially fired Trist in October, demanding that he return to Washington, D.C. Trist ignored this "recall order" and entered into the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, signing it with Mexico in Mexico City on February 2, 1848. This Treaty provided that: | | Polk essentially fired Trist in October, demanding that he return to Washington, D.C. Trist ignored this "recall order" and entered into the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, signing it with Mexico in Mexico City on February 2, 1848. This Treaty provided that: |
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| − | *the Texas-Mexico border is set at the Rio Grande River as Polk originally sought | + | *the Texas-Mexico border would be set at the Rio Grande River as Polk originally sought |
| − | *Mexico granted to the United States about 525,000 square miles (55% of its prewar territory) | + | *Mexico would grant to the United States about 525,000 square miles (55% of its prewar territory) |
| | *the United States would pay Mexico $15 million | | *the United States would pay Mexico $15 million |
| | *the United States government would pay off up to $3.25 million worth of debts owed by Mexico to U.S. citizens, relieving Mexico of those obligations | | *the United States government would pay off up to $3.25 million worth of debts owed by Mexico to U.S. citizens, relieving Mexico of those obligations |